TOKYO: Japan’s Nikkei share average climbed on Thursday, tracking a rally on Wall Street amid robust US bank earnings and a cooling in core consumer inflation.
The Nikkei added 0.28% to 38,551.96 as of the midday recess, setting it up to snap a five-day losing streak.
However, gains were capped by a rallying yen as traders ramped up bets that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) will raise interest rates at its policy meeting next week.
The broader Topix index was flat.
Financials were the Nikkei’s best performing stocks after US banks, including JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs, reported a surge in profits overnight. Nomura Holdings, Japan’s biggest brokerage, advanced 3.18%.
Moderating US core inflation saw a revival in wagers for the Federal Reserve to lower rates again by July, boosting investor sentiment.
At the same time, comments from BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda and one of his deputies, Ryozo Himino, this week suggested next week’s policy meeting is live.
Reuters and other media reported that a hike is likely on Jan. 24, barring a resurgence in market volatility after Donald Trump’s inauguration as US President.
“If (the) US earnings season continues to produce robust results like we saw from financials yesterday, it’s likely that stock markets will perform well on that,” said Maki Sawada, a strategist at Nomura Securities.
Japan’s Nikkei trades higher after four sessions of losses
“But heading into the BOJ meeting next week and Trump’s inauguration, the uncertainty surrounding those big events are a growing weight on sentiment.”
The yen strengthened to a nearly one-month high of 155.21 per US dollar, preventing a bigger rally for the Nikkei and weighing on automakers in particular, as a stronger home currency reduces the value of overseas revenues.
Nissan slumped 4.39% and Toyota slid 2.76%.
By contrast, home furnishings retailer Nittori, which sources a lot of its products from abroad, jumped 5.75% to be among the Nikkei’s top performers.
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